语言学导论部分考研真题

部分考研真题汇总（语言学导论部分）

北京外国语大学

I． Explain the following terms.

1. langue (2010)

II. Answer the following questions.

1.How do you compare the traffic light system with a human linguistic system? (2010)

提示：Both the traffic light system and human linguistic system belong to the language system. Both can convey information to human beings. The key difference lies in duality. Linguists refer “duality”(of structure) to the fact that in all languages so far investigated, one finds two levels of structure or patterning. At the first, higher level, language is analyzed in terms of combination of meaningful units (such as morphemes, words, etc). At the second, lower level, it is seen as a sequence of segments which lack any meaning in themselves, but which combine to form units of meaning. With duality, our language is endowed with the great productive power.

The traffic light system does not have duality, because its primary level does not have independent units which can be united freely into meaningful secondary units. One form corresponds to one meaning. That is, the red light means to stop; the green one means to pass; the yellow one means to pause for pass or stop. The traffic light system is more like animal communicative system rather than human language.

北京第二外国语大学

I．Complete each of the following statements.

1. The branch of grammar which studies the internal structure of words

is called________.（2004）

2. An approach in linguistic study which attempts to lay down rules of correctness as to how language should be used is __________.（2004，2008）

3. When language is used for establishing an atmosphere or maintaining

social contact rather than exchanging information or ideas, its function is ____ function. （2005， 2008，2010）

4. In Saussure’s views, the relationship between signifier (sound image) and signified (concept) is _______.（2005）

5. By ____ is meant the property of having two levels of structures, such that units of the primary level are composed of elements of the secondary level and each of the two levels has its own principles of organization. （2005）

6. By duality is meant the property of having two levels of structures, such that units of the _____level are composed of elements of the ____level and each of the two levels has its own principles of

organization. （2006）

7. According to Chomsky, the object of investigation in linguistics is the ideal speaker’s _______ rather than his performance. （2006）

8. In ____ linguistics, languages are studied at a theoretical point in time: one describes a state of the language, disregarding whatever changes might be taking place. （2006）

9. The features that define our human languages can be called ____ features. （2006）

10. Human languages enable their users to symbolize objects, events and concepts which are not present (in time and space) at the moment of communication. This quality is labeled as _____.（2007， 2009）

11. Semantics and _____ investigate different aspects of linguistic meaning. （2007）

12. Chomsky initiated the distinction between ____ and performance. （2007）

13. The ____ is the minimal distinctive unit in grammar, a unit which cannot be divided without destroying or drastically altering the meaning, whether lexical or grammatical. （2008）

14. The branch of grammar which studies the internal structure of sentence is called ______.（2008， 2010）

15. Both semantics and _____ investigate linguistic meaning, but they focus on different aspect. (2009)

16. If certain linguistics tries to lay down rules for the correct use of language and settle the disputes over usage once and for all, it is _____ linguists. (2009)

II. Tell if each of the following statements is true or false.

1.The most important sociological use of language is the recreational

function, by which people establish and maintain their status in society. （2005）

2.“Competence” and “performance” are two distinctive terms proposed by

Saussure. （2005）

3.The description of a language at some point in time is called diachronic

study. （2005, 2007）

4.The distinction between “langue”and “parole”was proposed by Chomsky.

（2010）

III．Complete each of the following statements using one of the given choices.

1.The actual production and comprehension of the speech by speaker of

a language is called_______.（2010）

a. grammar rules

b. competence

c. performance

d. language

device

2.The study of language at one point in time is a ____ study. （2010）

a. historical

b. synchronic

c. descriptive

d. diachronic IV. Answer the questions briefly.